Mike Bliss, back in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series after a two-year absence, took the victory and the series point lead as he led Bud Pole winner Jason Leffler to the checkered flag in Sunday's Rocky Mountain 200 by Dodge at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Bliss, who won $45,435, scored his eighth victory on the series and first since August 1999 at Heartland Park Topeka. He passed Travis Kvapil on the 165th of 200 laps then held off Leffler's final charge which closed to .330 second - about four lengths of the winning IWX Motor Freight/Knights Inn Chevrolet. Leffler led a race high 95 laps before his Team ASE Racing/Carquest Dodge lost some steam following the race's final pit stops on lap 112.
Ironically, Bliss drove for the second place owner, Ultra Motorsports, from 1995 through 1998.
Coupled with a fifth-place finish by former series point leader David Starr, Bliss assumed a one-point championship lead after five of 22 races. Bliss has 754 points to Starr's 753.
Five competitors exchanged the lead 10 times as Bliss averaged 103.004 mph for the 200-mile distance. He's the season's fifth different winner in as many races.
Kvapil finished third in his CAT Rental Stores Chevrolet, followed by Terry Cook's Power Stroke Diesel Ford and Starr. Rick Crawford, Dennis Setzer, Steve Portenga, Coy Gibbs and Brian Rose completed the top 10 finishers.
Results follow:
1. (3) Mike Bliss, Chevrolet, 200, $45,435
2. (1) Jason Leffler, Dodge, 200, $34,425
3. (7) Travis Kvapil, Chevrolet, 200, $21,715
4. (4) Terry Cook, Ford, 200, $14,625
5. (6) David Starr, Chevrolet, 200, $13,400
6. (8) Rick Crawford, Ford, 200, $12,850
7. (5) Dennis Setzer, Chevrolet, 200, $12,300
8. (25) Steve Portenga, Chevrolet, 200, $13,400
9. (11) Coy Gibbs, Chevrolet, 200, $12,075
10. (13) Brian Rose, Dodge, 200, $12,675
11. (14) Lance Norick, Chevrolet, 200, $12,125
12. (17) Jon Wood, Ford, 200, $11,590
13. (16) Carlos Contreras, Dodge, 200, $11,515
14. (12) Trent Owens, Ford, 199, $12,465
15. (9) Bill Lester, Dodge, 199, $11,690
16. (2) Ted Musgrave, Dodge, 199, $11,315
17. (15) Michael Ritch, Dodge, 199, $11,265
18. (20) Lance Hooper, Dodge, 198, $11,215
19. (24) Rodney Sawyers, Dodge, 197, $9,915
20. (28) Bobby Dotter, Chevrolet, 196, $10,115
21. (26) Stan Boyd, Chevrolet, 196, $8,840
22. (18) Jason Small, Chevrolet, 195, $8,815
23. (33) Jerry Hill, Dodge, 193, $8,790
24. (22) Randy MacDonald, Chevrolet, 190, $8,765
25. (27) Angie Wilson, Chevrolet, 189, $8,740
26. (19) Brendan Gaughan, Dodge, 189, $8,715
27. (32) Jerry Allec Jr., Chevrolet, 187, $8,690
28. (31) Mike Hamby, Chevrolet, 186, $8,665
29. (23) Matt Crafton, Chevrolet, 163, engine, $8,615
30. (10) Robert Pressley, Dodge, 152, engine, $8,590
31. (30) Chris Horn, Chevrolet, 140, rear end, $8,565
32. (35) Dana White, Chevrolet, 55, clutch, $8,540
33. (34) Tom Powers, Dodge, 38, engine, $8,515
34. (21) Morgan Shepherd, Ford, 25, transmission, $8,490
35. (29) Phil Bonifield, Chevrolet, 18, engine, $8,465
36. (36) Loni Richardson, Chevrolet, 16, engine, $8,440
Race Statistics
Time of race: 1 hour 56 minutes 30 seconds
Average speed: 103.004 mph
Margin of victory: 0.330 second
Caution flags: 6 for 28 laps (5-7, 44-48, 55-58, 63-70, 112-115, 154-157)
Lead changes: 10 among 5 drivers
Lap leaders: Leffler grid, Musgrave 1-2, Leffler 3-44, Boyd 45-48, Musgrave 49-59, Leffler 60-112, Bliss 113-121, Musgrave 122-124, Bliss 125, Kvapil 126-164, Bliss 165-200
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Standings (unofficial): 1. Bliss 754; 2. Starr 753; 3. Crawford 726; 4. Leffler 723; 5. Musgrave 713; 6. Setzer 677; 7. Rose 675; 8. Norick 653; 9. Wood 650; 10. Cook 653
